At the beginning of the 2nd season, Red Skelton filmed his shows weeks in
advance. (His show was live during Season One.)
Around November or December 1952, Skelton became hospitalized. When NBC ran out
of new episodes, the production staff re-aired
sketches from Season One (using kinescope films). To fill out the episodes, they
added new segments with musical guests backed
up by the orchestra. According to TV Guide, Red returned with a new show on
March 22nd, 1953.

The Season 2 sponsor was Procter & Gamble, manufacturer of Tide
laundry detergent.

2.12 [51] Red Skelton Show:
14Dec1952
Sketches:
1. Opening: Red tries to get through a theater lobby.
2. Dance segment with The Step Brothers.
3. "The Sultan" - Red is a sultan showered by gifts in a harem (w/Tide ad).
4. "The Bums Rush" - Freddie, dressed in a pin striped suit, tries to get into a
Pool Hall with his friend Bo Roos.

2.14 [53] Red Skelton Show: 1951-52 Season Highlights
28Dec1952 NBC Sun
This episode consisted of kinescope highlights from the 1951-52 season.
(During this time, Red Skelton was recovering from an operation)

2.15 [54] Red Skelton Show:
04Jan1953 NBC Sun
Synopsis:
While Red continued to recuperate from his operation, NBC aired another episode
consisting of film clips from past shows.
The sketches included Red playing the part of a barrister in an English
courtroom scene.

[--] Newspaper article: January 27, 1953 (San
Mateo (California) Times:
"SKELTON'S BREAK
Red Skelton may not know it yet, but producers of the famous redhead's show have
been doing him a great favor while
he is recuperating from his recent illness. During the weeks Red has been lying
in a hospital bed the producers have
taken some of the best of Red Skelton's shows of last year and adding such guest
stars as Beryl Davis, Connie Russell
and just last Sunday Les Paul and Mary Ford. In doing this the producers are
giving new pep to a show that, was slowly
dying on the vine. They also proved to Red that less of Red would be much better
for the show. By adding the music and
acts it takes away the effect of saturation by Skelton. The producers seem to
have found just the right amount of Skelton
for each show. As we finished writing the above, we got word from Hollywood that
Red upon his return to the show will give
up the film version in which he started out the year. From now on the show will
be done either live or on kinescoped segments.
This is a system devised by Bill Hollenbeck of the "Standard Hour," which we
predicted would one day catch on in Hollywood."

2.26 [65]Red Skelton Show:
22Mar1953 NBC Sun
Musical Guests:Andy and Della Russell perform "Don't Say Hello."
Sketches:
1. Tide man
2. "Different People in Hospitals" - Red mimes various people at a hospital
including a new father.
3. Willie Lump Lump becomes an ambulance driver.
According to a 18Mar1953 UP newspaper article, Skelton "takes the cameras out of
doors in a wild ambulance chase
through the streets of Los Angeles."

2.35 [74] Red Skelton Show:
24May1953 NBC Sun
Musical Guest: Gale Robbins sings "I'm in a Jam with Baby" and "Just One of Those
Things."
1. "Behind the Fluoroscope"
2. Red portrays "Chef Baloney."
3. "Rush-Rush" - Red compares living at a normal pace to an accelerated life
4. "The Burglar at Home" - Red, as Bolivar, shows how a burglar behaves at home.

2.36 [75] Red Skelton Show: Freddie Becomes a Star-Gazer
31May1953 NBC Sun
Sketches:
1. Red portrays different types of people on their way to work.
2. Freddie the Freeloader becomes a stargazer.
3. Willie Lump Lump's wife locks him out of the house when he arrives home at
dawn.